Confiction Labs Launches 'Proof of Exposure' to Combat Rising Bot Activity in Web3 Gaming

Confiction Labs, the developer behind the Web3 co-op multiplayer shooter Riftstorm, has introduced a new in-game verification system aimed at curbing what it views as increasing bot activity in the sector.

The initiative, dubbed "Proof of Exposure," integrates non-fungible tokens into the game's lore as a method to distinguish genuine players from automated bot accounts.

The move comes as Web3 games grapple with a rising bot problem, with a recent report from marketing platform Cookie3 suggesting that up to 70% of airdropped rewards are funneled to bot accounts. 

Confiction Labs, which recently rebranded from Mythic Protocol, claims its new verification system will authenticate users through a combination of third-party APIs, large language models, and user-submitted data.

Arief Widhiyasa, CEO of Confiction Labs, framed Proof of Exposure as both a security measure and a community-building tool. "This system ensures that passionate and committed community members are the ones who help shape our IPs moving forward," Widhiyasa said.

Specifically, the allowlist verification process Proof of Exposure touts a “deep profiling system” that determines the most suitable community members to advance the game’s storyline, according to a statement.

As applicants undergo the verification process, those with the highest scores will secure access to the mint of the upcoming XPSR-24 NFT collection, which is part of Confiction Labs’ FICT ONE: Occultical universe.

XPSR-24 is part of Conviction Labs' broader vision of "collaborative entertainment," where users contribute to the game's evolving storyline through various in-game activities. 

However, skepticism remains about whether such verification systems can effectively address the bot issue, which has plagued Web3 games for years. 

Critics argue that despite the technological sophistication, bots often adapt quickly to new security measures, rendering them ineffective over the long term.

Meanwhile, bot prevention service Jigger reports that 40% of Web3 service users, including participants in NFT allowlists and Web3 games, have been identified as bots.

While the idea of blending NFTs with game lore is innovative, whether it will succeed in creating a bot-free environment—or simply add another layer of complexity—remains to be seen.